Marie Redding, Senior Editor02.29.24
Infiniment Coty Paris, Coty's new flagship fragrance brand, aims to "disrupt the fragrance industry," states its founders, Sue Nabi, CEO of Coty, and Nicolas Vu, co-founder of the Coty skincare brand Orveda.
After teasing the new brand since last year, Infiniment Coty will give consumers a first glimpse of the 14 fragrances in the collection during Paris Fashion Week on March 2nd at an event at 5 rue Saint-Merri in the Marais district. There will be lectures, dance performances, and artwork featuring the Infiniment Coty bottle that Coty calls "Artcycling."
Fragrances are a booming business for Coty. Its prestige business sales grew by 17% percent in the second quarter at the end of 2023. Now, Infiniment Coty marks its entry into the ultra-luxe fragrance category.
Nabi spoke about the future of fragrances and why they are a fast-growing category, saying that Gen Z is rediscovering perfume on social media. She also notes that like skincare, fragrance is becoming "a performance category." "Fragrance development is shifting and is no longer seen as a form of artistic expression," she says. (See the feature Making Scents that Match Purchasing Behaviors.)
Each of the 14 fragrances in Infiniment Coty's debut collection is designed to convey a positive emotion. There are three categories—Dawn, Day, and Dusk—grouped by the intensity of the notes. The Dusk fragrances, for example, contain more intense notes.
The highly concentrated formulas contain up to 20% juice. The collection is vegan and skin-friendly, without chemical filters or dyes. The 75ml bottles retail for $290.
The fragrances feature the "Molecular Aura"—Coty's patent-pending technology developed by its R&D team. The formulation innovation is like a time-release formula for a fragrance. It controls the evaporation rate of the olfactory molecules to extend the scent of any perfume for up to 30 hours, reports state.
The fragrances are also Coty's first that are manufactured using alcohol derived from carbon emissions captured through a bio-fermentation process.
Vu designed the clear rectangular bottles, which are stackable and refillable. The minimalist design features the word "Coty" embossed on the glass and an elegant white label. The bottle design is intended to be "a blank canvas" and promote "artcycling" rather than recycling, Nabi stated. Modern round white caps are a contrast to the bottles' square edges.
The bottle design is "an ode to minimalism," Coty states—yet it has an asymmetrical shape that was complex to mold. The flat face is perfectly flat, while the bottom has pronounced facets. on "In it is the strength of opposites; generous forms and materials; the immaculate white of a blank page from which everything begins," Infiniment Coty states.
The bottles feature a connecting ridge at the bottom, which enables them to stack easily by fitting into each other. (See the photo showing how they fit together in the photo above, on the far left.)
Fragrance refills are housed in white bottles with specialized dispensing tips to enable refilling, which can ultimately help encourage consumers to embrace refillable packaging.
"Once put together, the perfume bottles become a glass canvas," Coty states. Art brings soul to luxury," stated Vu. Artists that have already used the bottles in artwork to "interpret a scent" include Isabelle D and Evans Mbugua, featured in the Artcycling Gallery on Infiniment Coty's website. More artwork will be on display at several upcoming editions of the 1-54 art fair.
Interview Magazine spoke to several 1-54 artists that collaborated with the brand, including Mous Lambrabat. When asked what it was like using the Infiniment bottle in art, Lambrabat said, "Well, the thing that was interesting was that the bottles were able to be stacked. It was not easy to do, because, at some point, it was like, 'Okay. We have to glue all these bottles together’... It was not easy...It was filling up every bottle with the paint... Afterward, I remember saying I actually had a lot of fun doing it."
Coty will display artwork created from the bottles at every boutique carrying the brand.
Fragrances are wrapped in distinctive silk paper, inside luxe bags in Coty's signature blue, to ensure a memorable first impression. Online shoppers buying gifts can include a card with a personalized message.
Infiniment Coty's Discovery Set is an essential way for an e-commerce brand to get samples into the consumer's hands. Retailing for $170, shoppers choose five 10ml pen sprays, packaged in a luxe box. Several smaller spray samplers on cards are included with every order.
François Coty is often credited as inventing modern perfumery in 1904, as the first company to use synthetic molecules to develop fragrances.
Coty's first feminine perfume—and the first designed around a single floral note—was La Rose Jacqueminot. A combination of new synthetic ingredients were added "to bring clarity and lasting power to the scent," Coty states, at a time when many perfumers were reluctant to try new synthetic molecules.
Coty also reinvented fragrance packaging due to a partnership with renowned artisan and jeweler René Lalique, which dates back to approximately 1908. Lalique designed elegant labels and custom perfume bottles for Coty’s fragrances—and they could be mass-produced at a lower cost so that "a growing number of consumers could afford a piece of Coty luxury," the company states. Soon, perfume shifted from being a luxury item for the select few, and would now be accessible to the masses.
In an exclusive interview with WWD's Jennifer Weil on Yahoo, Nabi discusses Coty's history and La Rose Jacqueminot, saying, “The challenge at the time was to move from naturals to synthetic molecules. Coty wanted to replicate the scent of a rose that never fades...That was a great gateway between what we created [Infiniment Coty] and this first fragrance that invented the modern fragrance industry.”
Photo above via Instagram @infinimentcoty
After teasing the new brand since last year, Infiniment Coty will give consumers a first glimpse of the 14 fragrances in the collection during Paris Fashion Week on March 2nd at an event at 5 rue Saint-Merri in the Marais district. There will be lectures, dance performances, and artwork featuring the Infiniment Coty bottle that Coty calls "Artcycling."
Fragrances are a booming business for Coty. Its prestige business sales grew by 17% percent in the second quarter at the end of 2023. Now, Infiniment Coty marks its entry into the ultra-luxe fragrance category.
Nabi spoke about the future of fragrances and why they are a fast-growing category, saying that Gen Z is rediscovering perfume on social media. She also notes that like skincare, fragrance is becoming "a performance category." "Fragrance development is shifting and is no longer seen as a form of artistic expression," she says. (See the feature Making Scents that Match Purchasing Behaviors.)
Read on for more about the collection—and bottle design.
Infiniment Coty Fragrance Innovations
The new collection marks a major innovation—Coty's first perfume with patents for both the formulation and packaging.Each of the 14 fragrances in Infiniment Coty's debut collection is designed to convey a positive emotion. There are three categories—Dawn, Day, and Dusk—grouped by the intensity of the notes. The Dusk fragrances, for example, contain more intense notes.
The highly concentrated formulas contain up to 20% juice. The collection is vegan and skin-friendly, without chemical filters or dyes. The 75ml bottles retail for $290.
The fragrances feature the "Molecular Aura"—Coty's patent-pending technology developed by its R&D team. The formulation innovation is like a time-release formula for a fragrance. It controls the evaporation rate of the olfactory molecules to extend the scent of any perfume for up to 30 hours, reports state.
The fragrances are also Coty's first that are manufactured using alcohol derived from carbon emissions captured through a bio-fermentation process.
Stackable Refillable Bottles
"Infiniment" is a French word that means infinitely. Coty's new scents are all housed in the same bottle that is "made to last, refill it infinitely," the brand states, embracing the trend toward sustainability.Vu designed the clear rectangular bottles, which are stackable and refillable. The minimalist design features the word "Coty" embossed on the glass and an elegant white label. The bottle design is intended to be "a blank canvas" and promote "artcycling" rather than recycling, Nabi stated. Modern round white caps are a contrast to the bottles' square edges.
The bottle design is "an ode to minimalism," Coty states—yet it has an asymmetrical shape that was complex to mold. The flat face is perfectly flat, while the bottom has pronounced facets. on "In it is the strength of opposites; generous forms and materials; the immaculate white of a blank page from which everything begins," Infiniment Coty states.
The bottles feature a connecting ridge at the bottom, which enables them to stack easily by fitting into each other. (See the photo showing how they fit together in the photo above, on the far left.)
Fragrance refills are housed in white bottles with specialized dispensing tips to enable refilling, which can ultimately help encourage consumers to embrace refillable packaging.
What is Artcycling?
Defining "artcycling," Nabi says artists will continually incorporate Infiniment Coty bottles into artwork. Infiniment Coty partnered with 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair last year to convey this message—and the fact that the bottles are stackable aids in creating art."Once put together, the perfume bottles become a glass canvas," Coty states. Art brings soul to luxury," stated Vu. Artists that have already used the bottles in artwork to "interpret a scent" include Isabelle D and Evans Mbugua, featured in the Artcycling Gallery on Infiniment Coty's website. More artwork will be on display at several upcoming editions of the 1-54 art fair.
Interview Magazine spoke to several 1-54 artists that collaborated with the brand, including Mous Lambrabat. When asked what it was like using the Infiniment bottle in art, Lambrabat said, "Well, the thing that was interesting was that the bottles were able to be stacked. It was not easy to do, because, at some point, it was like, 'Okay. We have to glue all these bottles together’... It was not easy...It was filling up every bottle with the paint... Afterward, I remember saying I actually had a lot of fun doing it."
Coty will display artwork created from the bottles at every boutique carrying the brand.
Gift-Worthy Packaging & Sampler Set
The "unboxing" experience won't disappoint. Infiniment Coty is ensuring its ultra-luxe fragrances are in gift-worthy packaging, and every aspect is designed intentionally, down to the smallest detail.Fragrances are wrapped in distinctive silk paper, inside luxe bags in Coty's signature blue, to ensure a memorable first impression. Online shoppers buying gifts can include a card with a personalized message.
Infiniment Coty's Discovery Set is an essential way for an e-commerce brand to get samples into the consumer's hands. Retailing for $170, shoppers choose five 10ml pen sprays, packaged in a luxe box. Several smaller spray samplers on cards are included with every order.
A Look Back: Coty Is Reinventing Perfumery—Again
Infiniment Coty Paris's debut celebrates Coty's 120th anniversary with a return to its roots to reinvent fragrance—for the second time in its history.François Coty is often credited as inventing modern perfumery in 1904, as the first company to use synthetic molecules to develop fragrances.
Coty's first feminine perfume—and the first designed around a single floral note—was La Rose Jacqueminot. A combination of new synthetic ingredients were added "to bring clarity and lasting power to the scent," Coty states, at a time when many perfumers were reluctant to try new synthetic molecules.
Coty also reinvented fragrance packaging due to a partnership with renowned artisan and jeweler René Lalique, which dates back to approximately 1908. Lalique designed elegant labels and custom perfume bottles for Coty’s fragrances—and they could be mass-produced at a lower cost so that "a growing number of consumers could afford a piece of Coty luxury," the company states. Soon, perfume shifted from being a luxury item for the select few, and would now be accessible to the masses.
In an exclusive interview with WWD's Jennifer Weil on Yahoo, Nabi discusses Coty's history and La Rose Jacqueminot, saying, “The challenge at the time was to move from naturals to synthetic molecules. Coty wanted to replicate the scent of a rose that never fades...That was a great gateway between what we created [Infiniment Coty] and this first fragrance that invented the modern fragrance industry.”
Photo above via Instagram @infinimentcoty
